A 47-year-old Singaporean man appeared in the Johor Sessions Court on 6 May 2025, facing serious drug trafficking and possession charges that could result in the death penalty.
Here’s what happened.
Johor Authorities Charge Singaporean in Major Drug Bust
Tan Ban Choon, 47, an unemployed Singaporean national, was charged with five counts of drug-related offences after being arrested during a raid at a Danga Bay apartment in Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
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The most serious charge against Tan involves trafficking 10,024g (over 10kg) of powdered MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy.
Under Section 39B(1)(A) and Section 39B(2) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, this charge alone carries the possibility of death by hanging or life imprisonment with a minimum of 15 strokes of the cane upon conviction.
Additionally, Tan faces four separate possession charges for 9g of heroin, 44g of cannabis, 6g of powdered MDMA, and 31.3g of ketamine.
All these substances were found at the same Danga Bay apartment location during the raid conducted around 10 pm on 23 Apr 2025.
Judge Mohammad Khalid Ab Karim presided over the court proceedings, where Tan acknowledged the charges after they were read to him in Mandarin.
No plea was recorded as the case falls under High Court jurisdiction.
Raid Part of Larger Crackdown with Singapore Cooperation
The arrest occurred during coordinated raids across several Johor districts, including Johor Bahru, Batu Pahat, Kota Tinggi, and Kluang. Tan was one of five individuals apprehended during these operations.
Joint investigations with Singapore authorities revealed that Tan had previous criminal records. During the arrest, officers also found him in possession of falsified identification documents.
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For the possession charges, Tan could receive fines up to RM100,000 (S$30,690) or imprisonment for up to five years, or both.
Specifically for the cannabis possession charge, he may face a sentence of between two and five years in jail, along with three to nine strokes of the cane if convicted.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Siti Fatimah Mamu represented the prosecution during the court proceedings. Tan appeared without legal representation, and no bail was granted by the court.
The case has been scheduled for mention on 29 Jul 2025, pending the completion of chemical analysis reports on the seized substances.
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